IGHTFUL King
of Paflagonia! She would not speak to Glumboso, whom she thought a
brute, for depriving her DEAR HUSBAND of the crown! And when candles
came, and she had helped to undress the Queen and Princess, she went
into her own room, and actually practiced on a sheet of paper, "Griselda
Paflagonia," "Barbara Regina," "Griselda Barbara, Paf. Reg.," and I
don't know what signatures besides, against the day when she should be
Queen forsooth!

IX. HOW BETSINDA GOT THE WARMING PAN.

Little Betsinda came in to put Gruffanuff's hair in papers; and the
Countess was so pleased, that, for a wonder, she complimented Betsinda.
"Betsinda!" she said, "you dressed my hair very nicely today; I promised
you a little present. Here are five sh--no, here is a pretty little
ring, that I picked--that I have had some time." And she gave Betsinda
the ring she had picked up in the court. It fitted Betsinda exactly.

"It's like the ring the Princess used to wear," says the maid.

"No such thing," says Gruffanuff, "I have had it this ever so long.
There, tuck me up quite comfortable; and now, as it's a very cold night
(the snow was beating in at the window), you may go and warm dear Prince
Giglio's bed, like a good girl, and then you may unrip my green silk,
and then you can just do me up a little cap for the morning, and then
you can mend that hole in my silk stocking, and then you can go to
bed, Betsinda. Mind I shall want my cup of tea at five o'clock in the
morning."

"I suppose I had best warm both the young gentlemen's beds, Ma'am," says
Betsinda.

Gruffanuff, for reply, said, "Hau-au-ho!--Grau-haw-hoo!--Hong-hrho!" In
fact, she was snoring sound asleep.

Her room, you know, is next to the King and Queen, and the Princess is
next to them. So pretty Betsinda went away for the coals to the kitchen,
and filled the royal warming-pan.

Now, she was a very kind, merry, civil, pretty girl; but there must
have been something very captivating about her this evening, for all
the women in the servants' hall began to scold and abuse her. The
housekeeper said she was a pert, stuck-up thing: the upper-housemaid
asked, how dare she wear such ringlets and ribbons, it was quite
improper! The cook (for there was a woman-cook as well as a man-cook)
said to the kitchen-maid that SHE never could see anything in that
creetur: but as for the men, every one of them, Coachman, John, Buttons,
the page, and Monsieur, the Prince of Crim Tartary's vale